Bedford Borough Council
Bedford Borough Council | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Type | |
| Type | |
| History | |
| Founded | 1 April 1974 |
| Leadership | |
Speaker | |
Chief executive | Laura Church since October 2021 |
| Structure | |
| Seats | Elected Mayor 40 Councillors[3] |
 | |
Council political groups |
|
Length of term | Executive mayor elected every four years Whole council elected every four years |
| Elections | |
Council voting system | Plurality-at-large |
Mayor voting system | Supplementary vote |
Council last election | 2 May 2019 |
Mayor last election | 2 May 2019 |
| Meeting place | |
 | |
| Borough Hall, Cauldwell Street, Bedford, MK42 9AP | |
| Website | |
| www | |
Bedford Borough Council is the local authority of the Borough of Bedford in Bedfordshire, England. It is a unitary authority, having the powers of a non-metropolitan county and district council combined. The executive of the council is the directly elected mayor of Bedford. It is a member of the East of England Local Government Association.
The council was founded in 1974 as Bedford District Council, being renamed North Bedfordshire Borough Council in 1975. In 1992 it changed its name again to become Bedford Borough Council. Until 2009 it was a lower-tier district council, with county-level services provided by Bedfordshire County Council. On 1 April 2009, the Bedfordshire County Council ceased to exist, at which point Bedford Borough Council became a unitary authority.
Political control[edit]
Since the first election to the council in 1973 (as a shadow authority prior to coming into its powers in 1974), political control of the council has been held by the following parties:[4][5]
| Party in control | Years |
|---|---|
| No overall control | 1973–1976 |
| Conservative | 1976–1986 |
| No overall control | 1986–2009 |
| Liberal Democrats | 2009-2010 |
| No overall control | 2010–Present |
Arms[edit]
Bedford has been granted two distinct coats of arms. The first is per pale Argent and Gules a fess Azure, and the second Argent an eagle displayed wings inverted and head turned towards the sinister Sable ducally crowned and surmounted by a castle of three tiers Or.[6]
References[edit]
- ^ "Mayoral election results, 2009". Bedford Borough Council. Retrieved 1 April 2022.
- ^ "Annual Council Meeting, 11 May 2022". Bedford Borough Council. Retrieved 13 May 2022.
- ^ "Your Councillors". Bedford Borough Council. Retrieved 28 January 2018.
- ^ "Bedford". BBC News Online. 19 April 2009. Retrieved 11 December 2009.
- ^ "Bedford". BBC News Online. Retrieved 11 December 2009.
- ^ "East of England Region". Civic Heraldry of England. Retrieved 8 March 2021.
External links[edit]
| General | |
|---|---|
| National libraries | |
